Succession to the Swedish throne How the Swedish line of succession is determined: legal framework, key rules (primogeniture, marriage consent, religion), historical changes and practical effects on the modern mon…
Suffolk Coastal District (1974–2019): former local government district in Suffolk, England Suffolk Coastal Suffolk Coastal was a local government district in eastern Suffolk, England (1974–2019), centered on Woodbridge and including towns such as Felixstowe; it was abolished in 2019 and…
Sukkur Division (Pakistan) Sukkur Division Former administrative division in northern Sindh, Pakistan. Centered on Sukkur, historically linked with Khairpur and reliant on the Indus for irrigation, it was dissolved in 2000…
Sultan: title, role, and history of Muslim sovereigns Sultan An encyclopedic overview of the title 'sultan': its meaning, historical development, differences from caliph and king, notable sultanates, and modern usage.
Sultan of Oman — monarch, head of state, and national leader Sultan of Oman The Sultan of Oman is the hereditary monarch and central political authority of the Sultanate of Oman, head of the ruling Al Said dynasty, combining ceremonial, executive and milit…
Sulur taluk — administrative subunit of Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu Sulur taluk Sulur taluk is an administrative division in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, with headquarters at Sulur town. It comprises 41 revenue villages and includes agricultural, industria…
Superpower (international relations) Superpower A superpower is a state whose military, economic, diplomatic and cultural weight allows it to shape global affairs. This article outlines defining traits, history, and contemporary…
Supreme Court of the United States The highest federal court in the U.S.; it leads the judicial branch, interprets the Constitution, resolves legal disputes of national importance, and sets binding precedent for all…
Supreme Director of Chile The Supreme Director was the chief executive of early independent Chile, a centralized authority that governed during the turbulent independence era before the office of President…
Supreme Leader A Supreme Leader is an individual who holds ultimate authority within a political, religious, or military system. The term covers a variety of institutional forms, sources of legit…
Supreme Leader of Iran The Supreme Leader of Iran is the highest authority in the Islamic Republic, a senior Shia cleric who holds ultimate oversight of state institutions, the armed forces, and major ap…
Surgeon General of the United States The Surgeon General leads the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and serves as the federal government's leading voice on public health policy, communication, and emergen…
Surveyor General: role, history, and examples of the government land surveyor Surveyor general An official government position responsible for topographic and cadastral surveying, boundary control, mapping and geodetic frameworks; historically military and colonial, now main…
Suzerainty: nominal autonomy under a dominant power Suzerainty Suzerainty describes a relationship where a polity retains internal government but yields control of external affairs or tribute to a more powerful state or lord.
Swabia (Government Region of Bavaria) Swabia (Government Region) Swabia (Schwaben) is one of seven Bavarian Regierungsbezirke in southwest Bavaria, covering diverse landscapes, cities and districts and extending to a cross-border planning region…
Swat (princely state): history, government and cultural legacy Swat (princely state) Former princely state in what is now northern Pakistan. Overview of its origins, rulers, territory, Buddhist heritage, accession to Pakistan and eventual merger into Khyber Pakhtun…
Takht-e-Nasrati Tehsil Takht-e-Nasrati Tehsil is an administrative subdivision of Karak District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This article summarizes its role, geography, administration, economy, and…
Tánaiste (Deputy Head of Government of Ireland) Tánaiste The Tánaiste is the deputy head of government in the Republic of Ireland, a cabinet member appointed to act for the Taoiseach when required and typically holding another ministeria…
Taoiseach: Ireland's Head of Government and Role in the Oireachtas Taoiseach Overview of the Taoiseach, Ireland’s head of government: how the Dáil nominates and the President appoints the officeholder, key powers and duties, coalition dynamics, role within…
Tax: Public Revenue, Types, Purposes, and Key Concepts Tax Taxes are compulsory payments to government used to fund public services, infrastructure, and redistribution. This article explains types of taxes, how they are collected, historic…
Tax resistance: refusal to pay taxes as protest or conscience Tax resistance Tax resistance is the intentional refusal to pay taxes to protest government policy or for moral reasons. This entry covers motives, methods, history, legal risks, and how it diffe…
Tayside — former administrative region of eastern Scotland Tayside Tayside was a government region on the east coast of Scotland, centred on the River Tay and the city of Dundee. It existed during the late 20th century and was later replaced by un…
Technicien supérieur des études et de l'exploitation de l'aviation civile (TSEEAC) Technicien supérieur des études et de l'exploitation de l'aviation civile French civil service corps of operational aviation technicians (TSEEAC) who train at ENAC and serve in technical, operational, informational and managerial roles across DGAC and ai…
Term limit Legal restriction on the number or sequence of terms an elected official may serve; types, history, rationale, and practical effects on governance.
Term of Office The period an elected or appointed official legally holds a position; covers types of terms, renewal and limits, historical development, examples, and effects on governance.
Territorial collectivity (collectivité territoriale) in France Territorial collectivity A French territorial collectivity is a public local authority with legal personality and elected institutions that administers a defined area; includes communes, departments, regio…
The London Gazette The London Gazette is the United Kingdom's official public record, first issued in 1665. It publishes legal, governmental and state notices on weekdays and maintains an extensive s…
The Pentagon: U.S. Department of Defense Headquarters and Landmark Building The Pentagon The Pentagon is the five-sided headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense in Arlington, Virginia. It is noted for its size, distinctive design, history, and role in national de…
Theocracy — government by religious authority Theocracy Overview of theocracy: systems where state power is held by religious leaders or institutions, its forms, historical development, examples, legal effects, and contemporary debates.
Third Rutte cabinet (Netherlands, 2017–2022) Third Rutte cabinet Four‑party Dutch national government led by Mark Rutte from 26 Oct 2017 to 10 Jan 2022; a centrist coalition that became demissionary after the childcare benefits scandal.
Thirty-fifth government of Israel (May 2020–June 2021) Thirty-fifth government of Israel A record of the Israeli unity coalition formed in May 2020 under Benjamin Netanyahu with a planned rotation of the premiership to Benny Gantz; its composition, mandate and brief te…
Thirty-fourth government of Israel (2015–2020) Thirty-fourth government of Israel Coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu from May 2015 to May 2020, dominated by Likud and allied religious parties. Notable for the 2018 Nation-State Basic Law and a prolonged politica…
Throne: seat of sovereign authority and ceremonial symbol Throne A throne is a ceremonial seat used by a sovereign or high dignitary and, by extension, a metonym for the office or institution of monarchy.
Tlatoani — the Nahuatl title for a city‑state ruler Tlatoani Tlatoani (Nahuatl for “speaker”) was the political and ceremonial ruler of an altepetl, often translated as “king.” This article explains the term, roles, selection, regalia, and h…
Tokugawa shogunate (Edo bakufu): Japan’s centralized feudal government Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (Edo bakufu) was Japan’s hereditary military government (c. 1603–1868) that centralized rule, regulated society and trade, and shaped politics, economy and c…
Tokyo Metro Ginza Line The Ginza Line is Tokyo's oldest subway line, operated by Tokyo Metro. It links Shibuya and Asakusa, serves central shopping and cultural districts, and has distinctive small-profi…
Tokyo Prefecture (Tokyo-fu): a historical overview Tokyo Prefecture Tokyo Prefecture (東京府, Tokyo-fu) was a Meiji-era administrative unit centered on the city of Tokyo from 1869 until reorganization in 1943 into the Tokyo Metropolis (Tokyo-to).
Tower Commission (1986) — Independent review of the Iran–Contra affair Tower Commission Independent presidential commission convened by Ronald Reagan in 1986 to examine the Iran–Contra affair. Its report assessed management failures, accountability, and recommended ov…
Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic (1918) Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic Short‑lived federation in 1918 that briefly united the territories of modern Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia after the Russian Empire's collapse; dissolved when the three republics…
Treason: definition, legal forms, history, and modern distinctions Treason Treason: actions that betray a state or political community. Covers legal definitions, common elements, historical forms, notable cases, misuse for political repression, and distin…
Treasurer: role, duties, and types in organizations and government Treasurer A treasurer safeguards and manages funds for clubs, companies, nonprofits and governments. Explains duties, variations (club, corporate, public), budgeting, public finance roles an…
Treasurer of the United States Senior official in the U.S. Department of the Treasury responsible for currency-related matters, financial stewardship functions, and public outreach; the office has evolved since…
Treasury (government finance ministry) Treasury A treasury is the government department responsible for public finances and economic policy, overseeing budgets, taxation, borrowing and fiscal strategy and coordinating with centr…
Tribal chief: role, functions, and cultural variation Tribal chief A concise encyclopedia overview of the tribal chief: definitions, selection methods, duties, historical diversity, and contemporary relevance in various societies.
Tribune of the Plebs (Roman Republic office) Tribune of the plebs Elected plebeian officials in ancient Rome who protected commoners, wielded veto power and convened the plebeian assembly; influential in Republican politics and later adapted by e…
Triumvirate: definition, history, structure, and modern uses Triumvirate A triumvirate is a group of three individuals who share power or authority. This article explains the term, historical examples (Roman and Soviet), common structures, and contempor…
Truman Doctrine: U.S. policy of containment (1947) Truman Doctrine The Truman Doctrine (March 12, 1947) announced U.S. political, economic and military support for nations resisting coercion, marking a turning point toward containment that shaped…
TSA — Transportation Security Administration and other uses TSA TSA primarily refers to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, the agency that oversees security for much of the nation's transportation system; it also abbreviates other…